Washing machine



Jan. 5 1926. 1,568,074

E. LINDMUELLER '-WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 27. 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet l kN un MMF h- Ww fu WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 27, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 5 1926. 1,568,074

E. LINDMUELLER WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 27. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 kthe cover attach Patented IJan. 5, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

' WASHING MACHINE.

Application led October 27, 192:0. Serial No. 419,849.

To all whom it may concern. v

Be it known that I, EDWARD LINDMUEL- Lijn', a citizen of'ithe United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of lCuyahoga and Statefof Ohio, have invented certain new and useful' Improvements in WashingMachines; and I do declare that the following' is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates rto a washing and drying machine, especially designed for household use, in which the clothes or articles to be washed are washedl in one device, and dried in another device; and the object of my invention, is to provide a machine of its design and construction, and manner of operation has exceptional possibilities as to speed and economy of movements, on the part of the operator, ing and drying. f

I am aware vthat prior to my invention, washing machines have been made with revolvin cylinders, also .that the centrifugal metho has been used for drying purposes. By means of my invention, the articles to be washed are placed in the washing cylinder, ed and the power applied.

After washing,

transferred to the centrifugal drier, and rea roller wringer.

volved at a speed of 400 to600 revolutions per minute. This action drives the lwater solution from the articles, and leaves themf just damp. While the drier is operating, other articles are being washed in the cylinder. Usually 1the soap water is driven from the articles; then t ey are placed'in a rinsing tub, and dried again; thenin va bluing solution,and dried again. The drying operation takes-'aboutm-inutes, and the washing operation takesabout 15 minutes. Thus by means of my invention there is no delayi or waiting, andthe operator can doup a washing, in far less time thanbyl any means heretofore'used, also with less effort. "lhearticles arenot ypulled out of shape, or the buttons torn oit', as occurs in the use of Also my invention pro- ,duces a machine, that is quiet in operation, and free from those nerve racking noises which is simple in construction, efiicient and economical nin use, and which by reason.

in doing the washthe cleaned articles are `ing 19, and

washing and drying machines.

I attain *these objects rby the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section taken along line 1 1 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken along the irregular line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 3 is an enlarged, part sectional view, of the reversing clutch and cam, which is shown in section, in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the intermittent gears, taken along the line of Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 5 is a supplementary view, of the intermittent gears, shown in Fig. 4 but showing 4 teeth in the driver gear.

Referring now to the vfigures of the drawin which similar numerals, refer to similar parts, throughout the several views.

1, represents a suitable frame, shown as a channel, secured to legs 2, which rest on the floor. 3 is a transverse brace for the frame 1. 4 are transverse braces and supings,

ports for the clutch box. 5 is a transversey a trunnion 11, which revolves in the slotted bearing 12, in supportr 13. Secured to 6 i's a support 14, having a square hole 15 engaging the squared end 16, of the driveshaft 17 The container 18 having an opena removable cover 20, holds the Washing solution, and is supported by members 21, to frame 1,r and drained by means of a suitable drain cocky 22.

The cylinder 6, is revolved 6 revolutions in one direction and reversed for 6 revolutions continuously, until the washing is done. To prevent the articles being washed, balling up, or tying themselves in knots, it is essential that the cylinder 6, makes exactly the same amount of revolution in each direction. I accomplish this by means of the clutch and drive mechanism here shown.

The cylinder 6 can be lifted out of the vand vibrations, commonly `found in other gear 23, .meshing into to revolve as one unit, onthe stud 32, which supporting means 13 and 16 very easily, by slidingl toward the left and lifting. drive shaft 17 has secured to it the bevel the vertical shaft 25. 26 and 27 revolve on shaft 25 in opposite directions, being in mesh with the drive gear 28. The intermittent timing gear 29,

has hub extensions secured to 28, and to4 worm-gear 31, which allows 28, 29 and 31 in mesh with the recess 40, of gear 30, and. Fig. 5 shows the periphery 42, o f gear 29,

revolving in the concavesurface 41, of the periphery of gear 30, thereby preventing gear 30, from revolving until the tooth 39v comes around again,y and engages the recess ,Y

40, thereby revolving gear 30 another onetwelfth of a-revolution. Gear 30 is secured to shaft 43, and the cam 44 is. secured to shaft 43.

surface, 46, which control` the movements of the plunger 47 which is slidably mounted v1n the oscillating clutch-lever 48. Thesprin 49,-provide a pressure `for the plungers ,4

against the cam 44, and also serve as a cushioning means. When cam 44, revolves in the direction indicated .by the arrow, the surface 45, compresses the plunger y47,

thereby exerting a pressure in one direction, on the clutch-lever 48,- and as the radlal surface 46, passes the other plunger 47, this pressureoscillates the clutchflever 48,` l

. ofl shaft 62. Secured to shaft 62, is the bevel in one direction and on the next half revolution of cam 44, in the other direction. The surfaces 45 and 46 are .approximately diametrically opposite, and the plungers 47, have` suitably shapedy noses or ends, which 'allow their engagement with the 'periphery Vsurface of cam i44. Fi

l shows the cam 44 in a position .compressing both -plungers 47,

andthe clutch-1ever 48 in a neutral position,. and Fig. 3 shows the action completed, with 48 at rest in one extreme position, being lheld by the plunger under compression, the other plunger being without compression,y having followed the surfaceof cam 44. The clutch-lever 48, is suitably piveted on pin 50, secured to clutch-box 33, a portion o f it sur rounding the cam 4 4, and at itsother end having a fork, with pins L51, which engage the annular recess 53, 1n the revolving clutchsleeve 52. The key 59, is secured to shaft 25, and the clutch-sleeve 52, engages this key, so as to revolve with shaft 25, but slidably` in avertical direction thereon, under the The gear24, secured to 'The bevel clutch-gears `gear-box 33 4for the Referring to Fig.y 3 `the camv 44, has an inclined surface 45, and a radlal v control of the clutch-lever 48. At4 each end of the sleeve 52, suitable teeth 54, engage alternately the teeth 55 of the bevel gears 26 and 27. When the motor 38 isa'unning, the bevel gears 26 and'f27 run continu'ou'sly,l but in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows, and thus when cam 44 oscillates the clutch lever4'8, in one direction, then gear 26 is ,the driver of shaft 25, and in the other direction, then gear 27 drives clutchsleeve 52, the shaft 25 and hence the cylinder 6. Suitable bearings are provided in the shafts 17,25, 35 and 43, and the plugs 56 prevent the oil `or grease, which this box containsfrom leaking out.` Suitable packing is provided at `58, to pre,-

vent water from the-container 18, ,reaching the bearing for shaft `17. provided for 33, which isY secured in place after the yclutch `mechanism ,is assembled.

A' cover 57 in In Fig, 5 I show 4 teeth in the vintermittent driving gear 29, and 12 recesses in the gear 30. This gives 4 impulses to gear 30,1

for eachrevolution of gear 29, and hence only one and a half revolutions of lwashing cylinder 6, before .reversing By varying the numberof teeth in 29, .and the recesses :in 30, a variety of revolutions can be given to cylinder 6, before reversing.'l d

The articles to be dried are placed in the receptacle 60, which is provided withholes .61, andr secured to shaft 62, by means of key 63, and nut 64. The pedestal-like ,d support 65, has ,suitable bearings 66 and 67, forfshaft 62, and lock-nuts or fillers 68 and 69, to Vsecure these bearings. Suitable packing 7 0 and 71, is provided to prevent the escape of oil or grease, which 1s`provided for lubricating the bearings 66 andl 67. The bearings 66, is of the radial type, and bearing 67. isa combined radial and thrust type, taking the upward and downward thrust gear 72.meshing into gear 73, secured to the .motor shaft 74, of the motor 75. Secured spring actuated brake can be here provided,

1n place of the electrically operated brake.

`A transverse brace 79, secured to frame 1,

supports the motor 75, andthe solenoid 78. Securedto the upper end of thefpedestal 65, is aflanged member 80, secured to the container 81, holding 81 concentric with the receptacle 60. A suitable drain'82, drains the solution from the container 81. Y Suitable electrical switches or push-buttons andwires lare provided, but not shown on the drawings, `to start and stop the motors 38 and 75. These are placed 'in convenient locations for the operator. The solenoid 78, is operlever for cushioning ated from the electrical circuit of'motor 75 or as a separate unit. f i

In operating my invention, the clothes or articles to be 'washed lare .placed into the washing cylinder 6, a suitable quantity of soap andwater placed in the container 18, the, covers 9 and 20 secured in place, the current turned into motor 38, and allowed t run about minutes. The rotating and reversal of cylinder 6, agitates the articles inthe water, assisted by the cleats or strips in the cylinder, thoroughly washes them. The motor 38 is stopped, the covers 9 and removed, and the articles transferred to the receptacle 60. The current is turned into motor 7 5, which revolves the receptacle at about 500 revolutions per minute. The liquid in the articles is forced by this centrifugal action outwardly from the center of revolution, through the holes 61, and into the container 81, and is drained through the outlet 82, to the sewer or a convenient receptacle. This centrifugal action is continued for a few minutes, the current cut out of motor 75, and the brake applied, which quickly stops the revolving receptacle 60. The articles are then removed, and the operation repeated on other articles. Thus it can be seen that the washing and drying can be carried on simultaneously or separately and that the design of my invention is such as will secure perfect results, quickly, with little effort, quiet mechanism, freedom from vibration, economy of power, safety, and thel absence of the1 pulling of buttons or tearing of materia l I ,do not desire to'be confined to the exact details shown, but aim in my claims to cover all modifications which do not involve a departure fromthe spirit and scope of my invent'on.

Having thus I claim and Patent is 1. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable drum, gears for driving described my invention, what desire to secure ,by Letters said drum in opposite directions, means including a Geneva movement and a clutch shift lever for stopping and reversing the direction of movement of said gears, means including cushioned plungers on said shift the stopping and re'- versing movements of said gears, and continuously driven means vfor actuating said gears. c

2. In a gearing, the combination with power means and a driving shaft provided with a gear, and a second shaft provided with loosely mounted gears meshing with said gear, and a shiftable clutch sleeved on A said second shaft between said last mentioned gears; of a third shaft provided with intermittent gears operatively connected tosaid first mentioned shaft; a cam on said ,with loosely shaft, and a clutch shift member provided with spring resisted plungers adapted to ride on said cam and to resiliently shift said lever and shiftable clutch.

l 3. In a gearing, the combination with power means and a driving shaft provided with a gear, and a second shaft provided mounted gears meshing with said gear, and a shiftable clutchVA sleeved on said second shaft between said last mentioned gears; of a third shaft provided with intermittent gears operatively connected to said. first mentioned shaft, a cam on said third shaft, anda clutch shift member provided with spring resisted contact elements adapted to ride on'r said cam to resiliently shift and cushion `said lever and shiftable clutch. l

4. In a kreversible tion with suitable continuously operatlng driving and driven gears, and a shiftable clutch for alternately engaging said gears; of intermittent gears in timed relation to said first mentioned gears, a shaft driven by said intermittent gears and provided with a cam, and a shiftable member operatively connected to said shiftable clutch and provided with spring resisted contact elements in co-operativerelation to said cam whereby to hold said shiftable member and clutch in neutral and shifted positions and to cushion the motion of the same.

x 5. In a reversible gearing, the combination with continuously operating driving and driven gears, and a shiftable clutch for alternately engaging said driven gears; of intermittent gears in timed relation to said first mentioned gears, `a shaftdriven by said intermittent gears and provided with a cam, and a shiftable member operatively con- 1 1 e'cted to said shiftable clutch and cam and provided with spring resisted cam contacts whereby to hold said shiftable member and clutch inne'utral and shifted positions and to cushion the shifting impulses imparted to the (same.

G. A." gearing for washing machines, comprising a power shaft provided with a gear, a second shaft provided with loose gears meshing therewith, a shiftable clutch on and adapted to drive vsaid second shaft and adapted to be shifted into engagement with 'either of said loose gears, a third shaft, intermittent gears connecting said third and first mentioned shaft, a cam on said third shaft, and a lever between said cam and shiftable clutch whereby the latter is moved into and out of engagement with said loose gears to reverse the direction of., rotation of 'said second shaft.

7. A gearing for washing machines, comprising a power shaft provided with a bevel gear, a second shaft provided with a pair of gears meshing therewith, a shiftable clutch carried by .A said second shaft and gearing, the combinaadapted to be alternately shifted into and into and out of engagement v'with said gears out of engagement with said last mentioned on said second shaft to reverse the direcgears, a third shaft, intermittent gears betion of rotationof said second shaft.l 10 tween said third and'first' mentioned shafts, n 'In testimony whereof, I hereunto afx my r:roam on said third shaft, and a lever opersignature;

atively Connected' between l`said Cam and l l shiftable c lutch whereby the latter is moved .EDWARD LIN DMU TLT-ER 

